Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 4,642,946 discloses a modular platform floor system particularly suitable for setting up a temporary, elevated display floor at trade shows and conventions. Generally, the platform floor includes a plurality of modular units, with each unit having a panel supported in an elevated position by a frame. If desired, the modular units used along the periphery, where heavy pedestrian traffic is expected, are ramped to facilitate stepping onto and off of the elevated floor.
At each corner of the floor unit, the system uses a locking member, or locking plug, to interconnect the unit to adjacently located units. The locking members provide a flush upper surface with the surrounding upper surfaces of the surrounding units, and the locking members also include downwardly directed portions which co-act with the respective frames to hold the floor together. Typically, a section of carpet is secured to each modular unit and to each separate locking member along the top surfaces thereof. Applicant expressly incorporates by reference herein, in its entirety, the disclosure of its prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,642,946.
The floor system shown in this patent has proved to be tremendously successful because of its simplicity in design and construction and its aesthetic appearance when in use. Nevertheless, applicant set out to improve upon the construction of this floor system in an effort to reduce the overall cost of the floor, to further simplify its manufacture and to further reduce maintenance.